Let me start by saying I'm no expert on worms but I'm far from a novice as well. Also I wanna say that I'm aware that they are productive all year round. But I have always wondered why worms are so good or so thrown in the summer? What makes them so good in hot water? Especially large ribbon tail worms

I am so ready for the day when bass learn to talk.

 

 

Thanks for the reminder!   It is getting to be time to pull out the SKRT Anacondas.

Only a bass would really know lol. My best guess is that it’s hot, and there’s this big, juicy meal that’s either dropped in their noses or slow-crawled right past them, and it’s too easy to resist. 
 

Today my topwater frog did zilch. Switched to a 5” Yum Dinger and a 5” Senko wacky rig and they ate it up.

Even though the bass metabolism is at its peak in the summer, they still rarely chase after every fast moving bait you'll throw. They like to sit in prime spots, and will always choose the easiest meal they can get. A T rig worm fished slowly through these areas is an easy target for bass. There's really no negative clues with a plastic worm that may turn them off. They may chase baits of other styles at times, but on typical hot sunny summer days, the plastic worm can be fished where the fish are, and where other lures can't go.

8 minutes ago, Mobasser said:

Even though the bass metabolism is at its peak in the summer, they still rarely chase after every fast moving bait you'll throw. They like to sit in prime spots, and will always choose the easiest meal they can get. A T rig worm fished slowly through these areas is an easy target for bass. There's really no negative clues with a plastic worm that may turn them off. They may chase baits of other styles at times, but on typical hot sunny summer days, the plastic worm can be fished where the fish are, and where other lures can't go.

This makes a lot of sense. Guess this is why a weightless Senko works everywhere all the time. Can be fished anywhere...has a slow lifelike action..and is generally non offensive.

 

8 hours ago, DitchPanda said:

Let me start by saying I'm no expert on worms but I'm far from a novice as well. Also I wanna say that I'm aware that they are productive all year round. But I have always wondered why worms are so good or so thrown in the summer? What makes them so good in hot water? Especially large ribbon tail worms

 

#1 most productive lure

 

Doug Hannon's Answer

Plastic Worm (Texas rigged) It's a long, thin shape resembles the profile of a wide variety of forage in the world of the bass, including earthworms, snakes, eels, and baitfish. Its action is almost entirely dependent on the contours of the bottom; and the rod movements of the fisherman, making it very random. It moves with little noise; the noise that it does make comes mostly from the random clicking of the sinker as it hits bottom. Bright colors and larger size can be used to increase its attracting qualities. Because of its basic resemblance to a wide array of living forage, this lure presents very few negative cues, and is hard for big bass to learn not to hit.

 

Studies have proven that the plastic worm is the only lure made that a BASS CANNOT REMEMBER!

That is, a bass will continue to strike a worm even after repeated catches, whereas a bass will "turn off" to other lures, spinner baits and crank baits etc. after wearing them out on them. That's why you cannot continue to catch them on your honey hole with the same lure over and over. Bass will stop eating that which will eradicate them. Not true with the plastic worm, however. Although we all know bass will prefer a different bait at different times (i.e. "the pattern") you can always go back to the worm to catch them.

I think I have gotten too comfortable with that darn productive Senko.  I need to/will fish the old ribbon tail, speed tail, rage tail, ______tail worm again next time I fish, which will be Sunday.........Amen

A worm is like a jig only more natural movements. 

The old ? if you only had one lure to use what would it be? A soft plastic worm!

Tom

46 minutes ago, Fishin Dad said:

I think I have gotten too comfortable with that darn productive Senko.  I need to/will fish the old ribbon tail, speed tail, rage tail, ______tail worm again next time I fish, which will be Sunday.........Amen

Yeah the senko..and for the most part a lot of soft stickbaits are

magic

Quote

I have always wondered why worms are so good or so thrown in the summer?

What makes them so good in hot water? 

 

In water below 60 deg F, largemouth bass become increasingly sluggish.

In water below 50 deg, bass prefer to be spoon-fed, and are less likely to give horizontal chase.

For this same reason, they're less likely to chase a plastic worm. 

In wintertime, nothing tops a natural bait dangled in their face. The best winter artificials

are vertically delivered like a bladebait, which spend more time in the strike window.

 

During summer however, the bass’s metabolism is at an annual peak, a season when the plastic worm

will normally outfish natural bait. Due to the worm's lack of negative cues,

studies have shown that bass have more difficulty becoming 'conditioned' to the worm

than any other lure; it's the crack cocaine of bassdom. 

 

Roger

 

 

I fish straight tail worms way more often than curly tail worms, and I fish them all year round. Only thing different is the worms get bigger during the summer months.

 

Another factor that I didn’t see mentioned, is that a large percentage of time, worms are a bottom presentation, at least they are for me. Texas rig, split shot, Carolina and even a drop shot all target the bottom, or darn close to it. 
 

Caught a limit of 15 inch keepers yesterday on an 8 inch blueberry Jelly Worm .1/4 ounce weight .  From 1 to 10 foot deep , brush and points .  They just get the job done .

Today one could easily replace "worm" with plastic because there are so many different sizes & shapes of the plastic that are productive.

When it's slow I tend to move to plastics, creature, craw, worms..........when it's REAL slow I end up with worms.  

13 hours ago, Catt said:

 

#1 most productive lure

 

Doug Hannon's Answer

Plastic Worm (Texas rigged) It's a long, thin shape resembles the profile of a wide variety of forage in the world of the bass, including earthworms, snakes, eels, and baitfish. Its action is almost entirely dependent on the contours of the bottom; and the rod movements of the fisherman, making it very random. It moves with little noise; the noise that it does make comes mostly from the random clicking of the sinker as it hits bottom. Bright colors and larger size can be used to increase its attracting qualities. Because of its basic resemblance to a wide array of living forage, this lure presents very few negative cues, and is hard for big bass to learn not to hit.

 

Studies have proven that the plastic worm is the only lure made that a BASS CANNOT REMEMBER!

That is, a bass will continue to strike a worm even after repeated catches, whereas a bass will "turn off" to other lures, spinner baits and crank baits etc. after wearing them out on them. That's why you cannot continue to catch them on your honey hole with the same lure over and over. Bass will stop eating that which will eradicate them. Not true with the plastic worm, however. Although we all know bass will prefer a different bait at different times (i.e. "the pattern") you can always go back to the worm to catch them.

Sums it up good Catt. 

4 hours ago, scaleface said:

Caught a limit of 15 inch keepers yesterday on an 8 inch blueberry Jelly Worm .1/4 ounce weight .  From 1 to 10 foot deep , brush and points .  They just get the job done .

I've always thrown culprits, power worms and trick worms in summer. This may be blasphemous to some of you guys but I've never thrown a jelly worm. Don't know why cuz I've seen them mentioned a million times on here...several guys have even said they are a favorite. Gonna order a pack on my next TW order.

9 minutes ago, DitchPanda said:

I've always thrown culprits, power worms and trick worms in summer. This may be blasphemous to some of you guys but I've never thrown a jelly worm. Don't know why cuz I've seen them mentioned a million times on here...several guys have even said they are a favorite. Gonna order a pack on my next TW order.

I've always used the 6 inch worms . I found 8 inch  blue  jelly worms in bags of a hundred

from some online site cheap . I bought two hundred and have already went through one bag .I dont think they are making them anymore  . The 9 inch , I  have never used but am going to get some . 

10 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I've always used the 6 inch worms . I found 8 inch  blue  jelly worms in bags of a hundred

from some online site cheap . I bought two hundred and have already went through one bag .I dont think they are making them anymore  . The 9 inch , I  have never used but am going to get some . 

What are your most productive colors? I'm gonna get a pack of two of the 6inch

Black grape and blue .

Thanks for the response

Order some producto tournament worms. They are not in stores much anymore but they are very supple and slinky. I like the black grape best.

Culprits are always a great producer as well. It was my go to bait in the 80s.,but I still keep them on board at all times.

I also do well with zoom trick worms, watermelon red.

The mister twister 10 inch in black grape is another good producer.

Its probably because I dont fish them as much anymore but Jelly worms  dont seem to produce like they did in the 70s.

Lucky strike worms in grape work well too for me, esp. in the fall.

 

Bass just love worms. Its in their DNA !